The Palimpsest in Urbanism

An image of a puzzle called the "Cambridge Palimpsest," composed of 'layers' of the city of Cambridge, UK over the years. Each layer tells a story: geology shaped where people first settled and built, and the map highlights the importance of the river to Cambridge past and present. The map was created by Christ's Artist Issam Kourbaj, and chosen as the official gift to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge from the City to mark their first visit on 28 November.

A key theme of urbanism that helps us to understand it as a complex cultural phenomenon is the concept of the palimpsest. A palimpsest often refers to a type of manuscript, typically of papyrus or parchment, that has been reused and written on more than once with some of the previous markings remaining unerased and visible[1]. The term also, however, denotes an object or location that contains “diverse layers or aspects apparent beneath the surface[2]”, such as many of the urban cities we live within today. Whether these layers are temporal, spatial, or even imaginary, an urban city and its constant transformation are exemplary embodiments of a seemingly never-ending palimpsest at work. Three urban cities in which we may witness these elements of a palimpsest surface are Boston, Moscow and Istanbul.